Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
Directed by Rob Reiner (2025)
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues ends up being a fitting final film for Rob Reiner. Not because it tries to top the original, but because it doubles down on what made it work in the first place. Absolute, unwavering commitment to the bit.
Set 41 years after This Is Spinal Tap, the sequel reunites David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls for a reunion show and what may be their final concert in New Orleans. Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer slip back into these roles effortlessly, letting both the characters and the comedy age naturally rather than fighting it. The jokes are quieter, sometimes sadder, but still sharp.
The film is stacked with cameos, including Elton John, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Questlove, and Lars Ulrich, all of whom understand the assignment. They are not there to parody Spinal Tap. They treat them like peers, which is exactly the joke.
What I have always loved about Spinal Tap, and what this sequel preserves, is that the band is never the punchline. They actually make good music. The sound still feels rooted in classic hard rock, with shades of Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, and the Scorpions. If Spinal Tap announced a real tour tomorrow, I would happily buy a ticket.
Reiner also wisely avoids winking at the audience. He commits fully to presenting this as a straight documentary about a geriatric British rock band clinging to relevance. If you like the music and the behind-the-scenes world of aging rock stars, that is all the movie needs to be. If you are in on the joke and enjoy Christopher Guest’s dry, awkward humor, it plays even better.
It is familiar, sure, but that is part of the appeal. Spinal Tap II does exactly what it should do. It cranks the volume up to 11. Which is, realistically, the only way the fans will be able to hear them now.
Rating: B+
